Following relatively high rates of death in infancy, death rates decline sharply through childhood. In 2010, people aged 5-9 years and 10-14 years had the lowest age-specific death rates (ASDRs) in Australia. ASDRs begin to increase from around 15 years of age. For nearly all age groups, ASDRs are higher for males than for females. The exceptions are in the age groups 1-4 years, 5-9 years and 10-14 years, where the ASDRs for males and females are the same.

Age-specific death rates for males increase gradually until around age 40-44 years, where they begin to increase more quickly throughout the older age groups (graph 2.5). Age-specific death rates for females aged 15 to 34 years are relatively low and constant. Steady increases in female ASDRs are evident beyond 45-49 years of age and continue throughout the older age groups (graph 2.6).

Over the past 20 years, death rates have declined overall for both males and females for all ages. The largest proportional decreases have occurred in the younger age groups.